NEAR Shoemaker Update 22 September 2000

MISSION OPERATIONS:
 
NEAR Shoemaker continues to operate in the 100 km circular orbit.  This orbit commenced Tuesday, September 5 at 23:00 UTC, when Orbit Correction Maneuver 13 (OCM 13) executed.  According to the mission plan, the spacecraft is scheduled to remain in this orbit until October 13 at 05:42 UTC at which time Orbit Correction Maneuver 14 (OCM 14) initiates a 100 km x 50 km transfer orbit.
 
The spacecraft subsystem configuration has not changed during this reporting period.
 
Preparations for the October 25th close flyby are proceeding as planned.
 
In order to manage system momentum accumulation, a single Momentum Correction Maneuver (MCM 12) was scheduled between OCM 13 and OCM 14.  This maneuver was successfully executed this past Wednesday, September 20, at 17:00 UTC.  The achieved system momentum was well within operational tolerances, and the imparted delta V was insignificant.
 
Except for the NIS, science activities conducted this week included Eros observations by the full instrument suite: MSI, MAG, XGRS and NLR.  Please consult science timelines for more details.
 
Upcoming Spacecraft Activities:
 
In addition to regular Eros Science and Optical Navigation, the following are operationally significant activities planned for the NEAR Shoemaker mission operation:
 
  Oct 13  Eros Orbit Correction Maneuver 14  (100 km x 50 km transfer orbit)   Oct 20  Eros Orbit Correction Maneuver 15  (50 km orbit circularization)   Oct 25  Eros Orbit Correction Maneuver 16  (50 km x 21 km transfer orbit)   Oct 26  Eros Orbit Correction Maneuver 17  (61 km x 200 km transfer orbit)   Nov 2 Eros Orbit Correction Maneuver 18  (200 km orbit circularization)